Girdle



July 27, 1954 RUTLEDGE 2,684,482

GIRDLE Filed April 2, 1952 Y INVENTOR.

66 79327 Eaflegzjge,

Patented July 27, 1954 UNITED Siffiid rarer-tr orrics GIRDLE George E.Rutledge, Chicago, 111., assignor to Munsingwear, Inc., Minneapolis,Minn, a corporation of Delaware Claims.

This invention relates to foundation garments such as girdles and pantygirdles, particularly for womens wear.

The usual circular knit foundation garment is shaped by creating tensionon the laying-in thread. This is done in such manner as to make thewaist narrower by increasing the tension on the thread which runshorizontally of the garment at certain locations and decreasing thetension at other locations or sections of the garment. When this methodis used, the girdle construction is such as to cause a binding action onthe body of the wearer and it tends to move up or down the body ratherthan to set in one position.

Among the objects of this invention are:

To provide in a girdle or a parity girdle a con struction such that itis comfortable and form fitting regardless of the position of thewearer; to increase the elasticity of the garment where it surrounds thehips so as to provide greater freedom of stride and comfort to thewearer in either a sitting or a standin position; and to employ theknitted fabric and increase the number of wales from top to bottom insuch manner as to provide increased elasticity along the lower portionof the garment.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and in partappear hereinafter.

In a garment constructed in accordance with this invention, elasticityis built into the fabric, particularly along the lower portion thereof,by interlacing the transverse or horizontal elastic threads in suchfashion that they provide the proper elongation so as to permit easyperpendicular stretch and at the same time they exercise sufficientrestraint so that when the wearer sits down or bends over, the garmentconforms to the posture of the body without crawling or creeping. Also,the garment will have horizontal control or retention where needed andat the same time will afford confining or body molding strength equal toheavier and less comfortable garments. The construction also gives morefreedom in a horizontal direction where the same is required for strideand comfort. The garment made in accordance with this invention byknittin as disclosed herein moves with the body. That is, when the bodybends or stoops, the garment stretches with it. When the bodystraightens up, the garment shortens to fit the shorter contour, movingwith and as if a part of the muscles of the body. The form and comfortof the garment of the present invention are knitted into it. They arenot achieved by boarding or stretching into shape. As a result, thegarment retains its shape and size after constant wearing and tubbingand thus gives more comfort and use to the wearer.

This invention is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in theaccompanying drawing and it comprises the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the garment construction hereinafter set forth and thescope of the application of which will be indicated in the appendedclaims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of thisinvention, reference can be had to the following detailed description,taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the front and rear panels of a garment inwhich the present invention is embodied, the panels being shown as theyare knitted on a knitting machine and prior to separation for formingthe girdle;

Figure 2 is a View, in front elevation, of a girdle constructed inaccordance with this invention; and

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3of Figure 2.

Referring now particularly to Figure 1 of the drawing, it will beobserved that the reference characters It] and H designate,respectively, the front and back panels which are knit on a suitableknitting machine in one piece. They are joined together adjacent theirends where a thread 12 is provided which can be withdrawn and the panelsseparated. It will be understood that the panels it and H are knit on asuitable machine with the needle plates placed at an angle of 45 degreesto the bed. The needles are controlled by means of a master patternchain which governs the number of needles added or withdrawn from thepattern in the desired manner.

After the thread I2 has been withdrawn and the panels it and Hseparated, they are seamed together as indicated at [3 so as to form thegarment.

It will be observed that the panels i6 and II are of duplicate oridentical construction and configuration. Each includes a top bandportion M which is ribbed. Below the top band por tion it and knitintegrally therewith is a body molding portion l5. This portion isarranged to extend over the lower abdominal area and to surround thehips. Because of the increase in the width of the body in this region,it is desirable to provide a greater elasticity for the lower portion ofthe garment where it surrounds the hips so as to make it morecomfortable and to give greater freedom of stride.

In accordance with this invention, this greater elasticity isaccomplished by providin a gore it in each of the panels it and it withthe narrow end ll near the upper end of the girdle and the wide end Itnear the lower end. The gore is formed by the addition of One needlebetween every two needles from the narrow end H to the wide end it. Thisvariation of needles develops the inverted V-shaped section or gore it,as shown in the drawing, and it is made an integral part of theadjoining portions of the fabric making up the body molding portion E5.By the pro vision of the gore it in each of the panels iii and ii,progressively more stretchability is provided in the garment from top tobottom.

At its lower portion, the garment is provided with a lower band portioniii which is knit integrally with the body molding portion iii. The samenumber of needles that is used for knitting the wide end it of the goreit is used for knitting the lower band portion so that its appearance isthe same as that of the gore it.

Knit integrally with the lower band portion is is an edge portion 28which is arranged to be turned under the lower edge of the lower bandportion i9 and to be seamed thereto as indicated at 2!.

For illustrative purposes, it is pointed out that the panel ill or II atits widest part may have one-third more wales than at its narrowestpart. However, this relationship may be varied as desired. By employingthis arrangement, a greater measure of figure control is obtained, andat the same time the garment is comfortable to the wearer.

If desired, garters 22 may be secured to the lower edge of the lowerband portion it for attachment to stockings in a conventional manner.

While the present invention has been described particularly inconnection with a girdle, it will be understood that it may be used alsoin the manufacture of panty girdles. Since certain changes can be madein the foregoing construction and different embodiments of the inventioncan be made without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof, itis intended that all mat,- ters shown in the accompanying drawing anddescribed hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A girdle comprising front and back panels providing a generallytubular body molding portion having an upper portion for extendingaround the waist and a lower portion for surrounding the hips, at leastone of said panels being formed by fabric knit from top to bottom andhaving a single integrally knit inver ed v-shaped central goreincreasing uniformly in width from top to bottom, said gore beingcharacterized by having a uniformly increasing number of wales in eachcourse from top to bottom as compared to the material adjacent theretowhereby progressively more stretchability is provided in the girdle atthe bottom than is provided at the top.

2. A girdle comprising front and back panels providing a generallytubular body molding portion having an upper portion for extendingaround the waist and a lower portion for surrounding the hips, each ofsaid panels being formed by fabric knit from top to bottom and having asingle integrally knit inverted V-shaped central gore increasinguniformly in width from top to bottom, each gore being characterized byhaving a uniformly increasing number of wales in each course from top tobottom as compared to the material adjacent thereto wherebyprogressively more stretchability is provided in the girdle at thebottom than is provided at the top.

3. A foundation garment comprising symmetrical front and back panelsseamed together along their vertical edges to provide a generallytubular body molding portion having an upper portion for extendingaround the waist and a lower portion for surrounding the hips, each ofsaid panels being formed by fabric knit from top to bottom and having asingle centrally positioned inverted V-shaped knit gore increasinguniformly in width from top to bottom to provide increased elasticityaround the hips of the wearer and thereby increased freedom of movement,each gore being characterized by having a uniformly increasing number ofwales in each course from top to bottom as compared to the materialadjacent thereto.

i. A generally tubular foundation garment having a top band portion knitfrom top to bottom for extending around the waist of the wearer and abody molding portion knit integrally with said top band portion and fromtop to bottom extending around the lower abdominal area and over thehips with a lower band portion along the lowermost portion thereof, saidbody molding portion having an integrally knit inverted V-shaped goreincreasing uniformly in width from top to bottom and merging with saidlower band portion whereby increased elasticity is provided around thehips and thereby increased freedom of movement, each gore beingcharacterized by having a uniformly increasing number of wales in eachcourse from top to bottom as compared to the material adjacent thereto.

5. A generally tubular foundation garment having a top band portion knitfrom top to bottom for extending around the waist of the wearer and abody molding portion knit integrally with said top band portion and fromtop to bottom for extending around the lower abdomi nal area and overthe hips with a lower band portion along the lowermost portion thereof,said body molding portion having a plurality of integrally flnittedinverted V-shaped gores increaslIlg uniformly in width from top tobottom and merging with said lower band portion whereby increasedelasticity is provided around the hips and thereby increased freedom ofmovement, each gore being characterized by having a uniformly increasingnumber or wales in each course from top to bottom as compared to thematerial adjacent thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Re. 22,583 Fridolph Dec. 26, 1944 360,094 Holmes Mar. 29, 18872,212,027 Lawson Aug. 20, 1940 2,406,969 Silman Sept. 3, 1946

